Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) concerning the Sudan

The Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) Document PDF concerning the Sudan (hereafter “the Committee”) oversees the sanctions measures imposed by the Security Council.

Sanctions measures

Measure

Description

Exceptions to the measure

Arms Embargo All States shall take the necessary measures to prevent the supply of arms and related materiel of all types and also of technical training and assistance in relation to actors operating in Darfur.

All States shall ensure that any sale or supply of arms and related materiel to the Sudan not prohibited by resolutions 1591 (2005) and 1556 (2004) are made conditional upon the necessary end user documentation so that States may ascertain that any such sale or supply is conducted consistent with the measures imposed by those resolutions.
Set out in paragraph 9 of resolution 1556 (2004) and paragraph 7 of resolution 1591 (2005 ), as updated in paragraph 9 of resolution 1945 (2010) and paragraph 4 of resolution 2035 (2012)
Travel ban All States shall take the necessary measures to prevent the entry into or transit through their territories of individuals designated by the Committee for inclusion on its consolidated travel ban and assets freeze list on the basis of the criteria set out in paragraph 3 (c) of resolution 1591 (2005).

Set out in paragraph 3 (d) of resolution 1591 (2005)

Assets freeze Decides that all States shall freeze all funds, other financial assets and economic resources owned or controlled by individuals and entities designated by the Committee for inclusion on the consolidated travel ban and assets freeze list on the basis of the criteria set out in paragraph 3(c) of resolution 1591 (2005).

Set out in paragraph 3 (e) of resolution 1591 (2005)

Work and mandate of the Committee

The Committee comprises all 15 members of the Security Council and makes its decisions by consensus. The current Chair of the Committee, for the period ending 31 December 2024, is His Excellency Mr. Joonkook Hwang (the Republic of Korea). The Vice-Chair for 2024 is Switzerland. The Committee prepares annual reports of its activities. The Committee has Guidelines for the conduct of its work. Formal and Informal meetings of the Committee are announced in the Journal of the United Nations. The work of the Committee is supported by the Panel of Experts on the Sudan.

The Committee is mandated to:

  • oversee the implementation of the sanctions measures;
  • consider and decide upon requests for exemptions from the sanctions measures;
  • designate individuals and entities who meet the listing criteria as contained in the relevant resolution;
  • assess the Member States’ reports submitted pursuant to relevant resolutions;
  • assess the reports submitted by the Panel of Experts on the Sudan;
  • through the Committee Chair, report every 90 days to the Security Council on its work;
  • establish and update its Guidelines;
  • conduct outreach activities, including with Member States and particularly those Member States in the region

Background information

The Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1591 (2005) concerning the Sudan was established on 29 March 2005 to oversee the relevant sanctions measures and to undertake the tasks set out by the Security Council in paragraph 3 (a) of the same resolution.

Arms Embargo

The Security Council first imposed an arms embargo on all non-governmental entities and individuals, including the Janjaweed, operating in Darfur with the adoption of resolution 1556 (2004) of 30 July 2004. The sanctions regime was modified and strengthened with the adoption of resolution 1591 (2005), which expanded the scope of the arms embargo to also include all the parties to the N’djamena Ceasefire Agreement and any other belligerents. The enforcement of the arms embargo was further strengthened by resolution 1945 (2010) of 14 October 2010.

Targeted Sanctions

By resolution 1591 (2005), the Security Council imposed a travel ban (paragraph 3 (d)) and an assets freeze (paragraph 3 (e)) on individuals designated by the Committee. There are three individuals on the Committee’s consolidated travel ban and assets freeze list, who were designated by the Security Council by resolution 1672 (2006) of 25 April 2006. By resolution 2035 (2012) of 17 February 2012, the Security Council decided that the listing criteria set out in paragraph 3 (c) of resolution 1591 (2005) shall also apply to entities. 

Under the Sudan sanctions regime, the Committee is mandated to consider designations on the basis of criteria contained in paragraph 3 (c) of resolution 1591 (2005).

In its resolution 2676 (2023), the Council decided to reaffirm and renew the sanctions measures until 12 September 2024. It also expressed its intention to review these measures no later than 12 February 2024. This could involve modification, suspension, or progressive lifting of these measures, in the light of progress achieved by the Government of Sudan on benchmarks 2 and 3 as outlined in section IV of the Secretary-General’s report of 31 July 2021 (S/2021/696).

Summary of listing criteria

Criteria Relevant Resolution

Those who impede the peace process, constitute a threat to stability in Darfur and the region, commit violations of international humanitarian or human rights law or other atrocities, violate the measures implemented by Member States in accordance with paragraphs 7 and 8 of resolution 1556 (2004) and paragraph 7 of resolution resolution 1591 (2005) as implemented by a state, or are responsible for offensive military overflights described in paragraph 6 of resolution 1591 (2005).

Paragraph 3 (c) of resolution 1591 (2005)